A peace-offering to God a sermon preached to the honourable House of Commons assembled in Parliament at their publique thanksgiving, September 7, 1641 : for the peace concluded between England and Scotland / by Stephen Marshall ...

The Preface to the SERMON

RIght Honorable and beloved, It was a priviledge and mercie which the Lord promised by the Prophet Isaiah,* 1.1 That they should reioyce with Ierusa∣lem who had mourned with her. This mercie the Lord hath in great de∣gree vouchsafed to my self this day: the same good hand that cast it to be my lot (though most unfit and unworthie) to help this Honorable Assemblie in the day of their humiliation,* 1.2 to dig pits in the valley of Bachah, hath now designed me to sing with them in the valley of Berochah.* 1.3 That after I had helped to carry out their precious seed with teares, I should come with ioy and help to ga∣ther in their sheaves, that after our Lamentati∣ons we should together sing Canticles and Hal∣leluiahs unto our God. Thus the Lord in mercie mingles rain and sunshine. Oh that we had hearts suitable to all his administrations!

The duty of this day,* 1.4 is to reioyce, and to give praises unto God, a service easier to the flesh, then that of fasting and mourning, but harder to the spirituall part. In a day of humiliation even wick∣ed men have affections stirring in them, conscious∣nesse of evill, guiltinesse of minde, sense of wrath, astonishing and oppressing feares arising from the apprehension of neare and unavoidable danger, are naturall meanes to make even Pharaohs, Ahabs, and Ninevites mourne and humble themselves be∣fore God: But in keeping a day of spirituall reioy∣cing unto God, little or no help is to be expected from the flesh, and that is one reason, why common∣ly dayes of thanksgiving are translated with much lesse affection, life, and savour then dayes of humiliation. You should therefore have chosen Asaphs, Ieduthuns, and Hemans who might skilfully have helped you to lift up the prai∣ses of God: but its now no time to complaine of your choice, neither will it be needfull, if the Lord please to be present,* 1.5 who can make the tongue of the dumbe to sing, and can ordain his praise out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings:* 1.6 trusting therefore his assistance, I beseech you attend to his holy Word, as you shall finde it written.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Isa. 66. 10
• * 1.2

  Psal. 84. 6.
• * 1.3

  2 Chron. 20. 26.
• * 1.4

  Preface.
• * 1.5

  Isa. 35. 6.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 8. 2.